KEY POINTS
- Top CCC leaders file an urgent application to challenge Tshabangu’s authority.
- Leaders claim Tshabangu’s actions violate the party’s constitution and court orders.
- The court application seeks to prevent the Speaker from recognizing Tshabangu’s reshuffle.
Top Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leaders have taken legal action to challenge their dismissal from parliamentary roles by the self-proclaimed party secretary-general, Tshabangu Sengezo Tshabangu.
The ousted leaders, including interim party leader Welshman Ncube, his deputy Lynette Karenyi Kore, Sesel Zwidzai, and Edwin Mushoriwa, filed an urgent application with the High Court on Monday.
The leaders are seeking a court declaration that Tshabangu acted unlawfully and exceeded his constitutional powers by making changes to the Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC) without proper authorization.
In their application, they named the CCC as the first applicant, with Tshabangu, Speaker of the National Assembly, and Senator Nonhlahla Mlotshwa listed as respondents.
The dismissed leaders argue that Tshabangu’s actions amount to a breach of the party’s constitution and a violation of existing court orders. They have requested an order to prevent the Speaker from announcing Tshabangu’s reshuffle of CCC members in the National Assembly.
Ousted CCC leaders accuse Tshabangu of constitutional overreach
The High Court application filed by the CCC leaders claims that Tshabangu lacks the authority to recall members or reassign parliamentary roles.
According to the affidavit deposed by Welshman Ncube, Tshabangu’s actions were not only unconstitutional but also defied a previous court ruling that barred him from recalling party members.
Ncube argued that the recent reshuffle disguised as redeployment was effectively a recall. “Tshabangu has disguised recalls as redeployments in violation of a court ruling,” he said.
The dismissed leaders are also contesting the appointment of Senator Nonhlahla Mlotshwa as CCC chief whip, stating that the role is not recognized under Section 151 (2) of the Zimbabwean Constitution. They are pushing for a ruling that will declare Tshabangu’s actions null and void, thereby restoring their original roles within the parliamentary structure.
According to New Zimbabwe, Ncube criticized Tshabangu, calling him a “non-entity” whose actions do not reflect the collective decision of the party. He also revealed that Tshabangu would soon face internal disciplinary proceedings for his conduct.
High Court intervention sought to reverse reshuffle and recalls
The court application aims to restore the previous structure of the CCC’s parliamentary leadership and prevent further unauthorized changes. The dismissed leaders claim that Tshabangu’s reshuffling of CCC members across various parliamentary committees is unlawful.
However, the leaders believe that Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, has failed to uphold the party’s authority, allowing Tshabangu’s interference to persist. They argue that Mudenda should recognize the party’s legitimate representatives and disregard Tshabangu’s claims.
“This is a clear overreach of power,” Ncube stated, calling for an urgent response from the court to prevent any further disruption in the parliamentary process.
As the matter awaits a hearing, all eyes are on the High Court to determine whether Tshabangu’s actions will be declared unlawful. If the court sides with the CCC leaders, it could set a precedent for how party leadership disputes are resolved in Zimbabwe’s parliamentary system.
